Aluminum corrosion in Engine compartment

[steve911]

Hi all,

This is one of my first posts because this is the first time that I haven't been able to find an answer in the archives.

My wife and I have have an new Dodge Magnum and a Dodge Ram Quad Cab. The hemi engines as you know are mostly aluminum. They are unpainted. Both have fluffy light corrosion all over them. What can I use to remove this, so I can detail th engine compartment?

Thanks

[Murr1525]

Any way you can take a picture?

[troyandmarsha]

same thing

i had that white fluffy stuff on my aluminum
in the engine compartment also.

the car engine had never been cleaned in its
6 year life.

i wiped it off with a wet rag, but it still doesn't
look that great.... wondering about trying some
Blue Magic metal cleaner on a section of it.

any ideas?

[686]

I've got the same stuff on the aluminum on my '95 Mustang GT.I had it covered with a car cover quite a bit this winter and it showed up then.I've heard this might be electrolysis and also heard it might be from moisture.Anyone got any idea's on getting rid of it and keeping it from happening again?Thanks.

[Setec Astronomy]

It's alumimum salts, which are a corrosion byproduct. And yes, just moisture will do this. Metal polish will remove this, but the problem is that usually those engine castings have an "as-cast" appearance, and the metal polish will give them a "polished" appearance, which means you have to polish every part of it for a uniform appearance...which can be a huge/impossible job. There is probably some microscopic pitting associated with the corrosion.

I'm not sure if there is a good chemical way to remove the "fluffy" salts, which would return the aluminum to it's natural appearance; most aluminum treatments are chromic-acid based. You might try a marine supply store, which may have the pre-treatment used before chromate conversion coating of aluminum, that might take it off.

[Mike Phillips]

These area that have corroded will usually be pitted, or rough, or at least rougher than before. Meguiar's doesn't make a product specific to this problem, the best thing to do would be to contact the manufacture and let them know about the problem, (if it's happening to you, it's likely happening to others), and see what they recommend.

If it's a real problem and they don't have a solution, then they need to re-think this product.

[troyandmarsha]

what i finally did........

i was covering some rust on the frame with
some rust converter and became inspired to
to use the dremmel tool with a small wire brush to take
the powder stuff off the aluminum....
you're right, once you start doing something
like that, it doesn't really look that great half
finished...or barely started.

oh well, a little bit at a time.... then i hear
something like, "dad, come watch me ride my
bike!" then it's time to put car cleaning aside.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Aluminum corrosion in Engine compartment

You can't use a high speed wire brush on aluminium.It'll just make more of a mess.Possibly very fine steel wool and then alu polish might work.

[oldmodman]

Re: Aluminum corrosion in Engine compartment

Years ago I tried Aluminum Naval Jelly on a corroded intake manifold and it removed all the corrosion. And it left the surface with that non shiny gray look that it had in the first place.
If you do try it, try it first on a hidden spot so that if it does not look right it won't be as noticeable.

[Sandstone]

Re: Aluminum corrosion in Engine compartment

See this thread. http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33667 Be very careful using these chemicals in the engine compartment since they can damage some components.